The Shadow of What Was Lost/Chapter 13
| next= }} Summary Davian suddenly wakes in a small room, still bound and Shackled. Wirr is asleep on the other bed in the room, bound and Shackled as well. The mysterious man they had rescued from the Desrielite soldiers is also bound and Shackled on a pallet on the floor, though he appears to be healed at least. A moment later the door to the room opens and a middle-aged man with a face covered in scars, both old and new, enters. The man, surprised to see Davian awake, tells him not to yell. He is Gifted too, and shows his Mark; he tells Davian drawing attention will get them all killed. Davian, feeling relieved, asks if the man is not the Gil'shar then why they are tied up. The man responds that he doesn't know what to make of them yet and asks why they freed the stranger. Davian tries to explain they were simply trying to help a fellow Gifted, but the man doesn't believe him. The man tries threatening Davian with the Gil'shar, but eventually softens and tells Davian that they are on the same side. He says he has been tracking the mystery man for a week before the boys showed up and would have probably tried saving the man himself, eventually. He also tells Davian that he knows the boy is an Augur so that is one less thing he will need to hide. Davian, not having seen any smoke coming from the man's mouth - indicating he has lied - eventually relents and tells him everything from the beginning. Some time later Davian finally finishes the story and asks if the man believes him. The man says he does, though that doesn't mean he trusts him yet. The man pulls the bronze box from his pocket and puzzles that it may be more than just a Wayfinder. Davian tells him that he doesn't know what it does but that whichever side is facing the unconcious man on the floor is still actively lighting up. The man confirms that he cannot see the light on the box but does see the wolf tattoo glowing on the other man's wrist. The man notes that the wolf symbol is that of Tar Anan, which is found all across the Boundary. He speculates that the symbols are the link and that it will probably stay active until they complete a physical connection. What he still doesn’t understand though is how Davian is linked to it, especially without his knowledge and consent.We get an answer to this question in . Davian asks if he can be untied now but the man says there are a couple items from Davian's story that he needs to verify first. Davian then asks if the man can at least tell him his name, and the man replies his name is Taeris Sarr, and watches Davian for a response. Davian responds in disbelief that it cannot be him, that Taeris Sarr is dead. The man laughs, saying he was curious what Administration had said happened to him. Davian finally accepts it as truth since his ability has not shown any deception from the man thus far and asks how it was possible. Taeris explains that he escaped, and presumably Administration decided to cover up the public embarrassment by saying he was executed. Taeris fled to Desriel thinking it would be the last place anyone would think to look for him. Davian tells him that it's an honor to meet him and that he has wished many times to thank him for saving his life. Taeris brushes off the thanks saying it would he have been a poor excuse for a man not to help a child being attacked by three grown men. Davian says he has so many questions about what happened, and Taeris tells him that they have time so to ask away. Davian asks if Taeris really broke the First Tenet when he saved him, and Taeris chuckles slightly saying he just had a couple of daggers plus the men were drunk and he is faster than he looks. But after it was done, Administration only saw three dead men and an old Gifted. Davian apologizes for being a useless witness, but Taeris reminds him that the word of a child, even him, would not have made a difference. Administration was looking for a way to remind people how dangerous Gifted could be without the Tenets and them in charge. Davian then asks how Taeris escaped and Taeris pulls out a pair of stones, one black and one white, telling him that they are Travel Stones; Vessels that create a portal between each other, which is how he moved into the town last night without anyone knowing. Davian then asks why Taeris was after the mystery man, and if he is looking for the sig'nari as well. Taeris tells Davian that Tenvar lied to him and that there are no sig'nari in Desriel. Davian says his ability never showed Tenvar to be lying so Taeris says he is going to show Davian something. He says he will tell Davian two truths and one lie and Davian must pick out which one is the lie. Davian agrees, and Taeris tells him the following: it is midday, they are in a town called Dan'mar and that he is forty-five years old. Davian sees no smoke and thinks them all to be true, upon which Taeris corrects him saying that it's mid-afternoon, they are in a town called Anabir, and that he is forty-eight, so all three were wrong. Davian stares in disbelief as he sees no smoke indicating a lie again. Davian asks how Taeris did that and Taeris replies that it is an old mental defense to shield against invasions of the mind. Not many of Davian's generation would know of it but it was common enough knowledge back when the Augurs ruled. Davian wonders out loud about why Tenvar would send him to find the mystery man on the floor. Taeris says that is what they are going find out. He doesn't believe that Tenvar lied about the weakening of the Boundary and that he probably laced as much of his story as he could with the truth to be sure he fooled Davian's ability. Taeris then gets up saying he has a few inquiries to make around town to check on Davian's story and that he should be back before the mystery man wakes up. He heads out and leaves Davian shaken with the knowledge that Tenvar had lied and it had all been for nothing. Characters Appeared *Caeden as the unconscious mystery man *Davian *Taeris Sarr *Torin Wirrander Andras as Wirr Mentioned *Ilseth Tenvar Geography *Anabir *Dan'mar (mentioned) *Desriel *Tar Anan (mentioned) Terms *Administration *Augur *Boundary *Gifted *Gil'shar *Mark *Portal box (as bronze box) *Shackle *Sig'nari *Tenets *Travel Stones *Vessel *Wayfinder Category:Chapters